THE much-anticipated inaugural Neotel Track cycling festival was held at the Faure Street Stadium in Paarl on Saturday 29 December, with the event delivering its share of thrills and spills and also saw the crowning of new champions.
The event catered for a wide variety of categories ranging from u.10 through to Veterans and there were a number of battles between the Neotel Yorkshire and Rhadsport Clubs, especially in the younger age groups.
The riders had to contend with scorching heat as they raced in temperatures climbing towards 40 degrees, a factor that would certainly take its toll on the riders as the racing progressed.
In the u.10 and u.12 group, the riders from Peco Cycling Club, Brent van Rooyen and Jason Jantjies, dominated over the likes of Luc Green and Graeme Ockhuis from the Neotel sponsored clubs.
The u.14 category also provided its share of action and there were some close encounters between Nathan Cornelissen (Neotel Rhadsport), Emile Jacobs (Ascends) and Jayde Julius (FGB Wheelers).
Cornelissen had the upper-hand over his rivals snatching two of the three events in their category.
In the u.16 and Junior categories, there was an abundance of talent that came from Neotel riders Stuart September, Gerswhin Vlotman, Brandon Christians, Grant Stuurman and Avery Arendse.
The Neotel Track Festival also catered for the Development Riders and a very determined Keeren Arries (Jofa) edged out his opponents, Wayde Theunissen and Lynwill Jansen (both Neotel Rhadsport) in both their races.
The Veterans races saw a three-way battle between Boyd Roberts, Curtis Holmes (Central Gauteng) and Nigel Isaacs (Outriders). However, Roberts was in fine form snatching the 800 m, 1500 m and the 5 km race.
The bulk of the action and fireworks came from the Elite/u.23 and Open races, with some of the country’s top riders from the road and track.
Team Neotel’s Captain Nolan Hoffman was a hot favourite and the local Franschhoek resident did not disappoint his numerous fans.
He clinched the Open 10 km Points race, the Elimination Race, and the 1 Mile Invitational Race.
In the events main race, the 25 Mile, there was high drama as Jamie Ball (MTN) and Hoffman were involved in a telling crash.
Despite having regrouped Hoffman was clearly showing signs of pain as he struggled to respond to numerous attacks from Dean Edwards (Chemspec) and Garth Thomas (CSC), the eventual winner of the Festival’s main event.
Hoffman was placed fourth.
In addition to Hoffman, Edwards, Thomas and Ball, the likes of James Louter (MTN), Michael Thompson and Durwin Benjamin (Harmony) were on hand to provide action in the various races.
With the first Neotel Track Festival behind them, organisers Yorkshire and Rhadsport have themselves a new champion event.
- Bradley Smith
